Bande-du-Nord
Bande-du-Nord is the first communal section of the City of Cap-Haïtien. About Before becoming the first rural section of the municipality of Cap-Haïtien, the area known as Bande du Nord was a military district donning a post of the same name. Fort Bélair, which played such a large role in the Independence wars, and lastly during the Salnave insurrection in 1865 at Cap-Haïtien, is also in the territory of this rural section. Subsections and Geographical boundaries Neighboring sections Bande-du-Nord includes the northernmost portion of Cap-Haïtien. The communal section of Bande-du-Nord coincides roughly with the northern third of Cap-Haïtien, jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean. The southern border of runs out into the hills. Neighborhoods within Bande-du-Nord include the communities of Bel-Air, Cormier, Doco, Ducroix, Falaise, Fort-Bely, Georges, Grand-Doco, Labadie, La Fague, Plateau-François, Poirier, Saint-Martin, and Vigie. Bordering Bande-du-Nord on the east, is Downtown Cap-Haïtien¢ as well as the Cap-Haïtien Bay. Within the port community of Labadie, a renowned private resort leased to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Many consider Labadie to be a part of Bande-du-Nord, but the site is fenced off from the surrounding area, and passengers are not allowed to leave the property. 's first communal section, Bande-du-Nord.]] Royal Caribbean has contributed the largest proportion of tourist revenue to Haiti since 1986, employing 300 locals, allowing another 200 to sell their wares on the premises for a fee and paying the Haitian government $12 USD per tourist. History Fort located in the rural section of the northern band, Cape. It is placed on a fairly high eminence on the left, surrounded by nipples that form as many natural redoubts. It overlooks the city of Cap-Haïtien with which it is communicated, as well as all the part of the main road that leads to the Barrière-Bouteille. This fort is somehow the key of Cap-Haitien on the ground. It's almost impossible to get hold of before you put out the fires. Before entering the fort, you have to go through the Barrière-Bouteille and enter the city. It was attacked by Biassou in 1792 and took off one night: Biassou surprised the garrison, dispersed it and fired on the city where he spread the greatest terror. • In 1802 Captain General Leclerc, arriving in front of the city, summoned General Christophe to hand him over the forts Picolet and Belair. The black general refused. • On the afternoon of February 5, the day following the Cape fire, Admiral Villaret-Joyeuse launched several flanks of the 120-gun-vessel "Ocean" on Fort Belair, which did not respond. It had been evacuated. To pay homage to the memory of the French who had died at the army of Saint Domingo, General Leclerc gave it the name of Fort Ledoyen. • On February 19, 1803, General Romain took Fort Belair from the French by surprise: the European troops who guarded it were shot. The French general Thouvenot established the city against the fort a battery of eight pieces of cannon and a howitzer: the canons, bombs and shells forced the natives, in less than half an hour, to abandon Fort Belair; behind the fort they met a French column which cut off their retreat. A bloody fight ensued, and General Romain passed on the body of the French column. • Fort Belair played a large part in the 1865 insurrection of Salnave against Geffrard. • In 1865, the rebels of Cap-Haïtien occupied a fortified position at the Castel habitation. Located at the gates of the city, the site overlooks Fort Bélair. • On the 12th of July, the skirmishers attacked the fort. General Lubérisse Barthélemy, commander-in-chief of the government army, had a horse killed here. A photograph, now extinct, represented this fact of arms. • On the 5th of June, the troops of the government seized two of the nipples of the fort, one of which dominates the city; but General Lubérisse-Barthélemy granted a suspension of arms at the request of the consuls. The rebels took advantage of it to rain on the government troops a hail of projectiles. General Fleuriau was wounded there, and had his horse killed under him. General Jules Saint-Macary discovered, on June 11, in an attack on the fort, that this position was not impregnable, and that it could be removed by storm. • On the 9th of November, at four o'clock in the afternoon, Fort Belair fell into the hands of the government, not without strong resistance, and under the fire of the English cannon. Colonel Normil Sambour was ill. At the triumph of the government, this fort was disarmed. During this uprising, General Hippolyte, who became Haiti's president in 1889, commanded Fort Belair. • On the 8th of January, 1869, the Cacos presented themselves before the Cape; Fort Belair removed them. • On the night of March 15 to 16, 1872, during the taking of arms of Cinna Lecomte, General Guilboute took General Joseph prisoner at Fort Belair, after he sent to seize it. bdn1.jpg|Bande du Nord art bdn2.png|Bande du Nord art Category:Cap-Haïtien Arrondissement Category:Communal Sections Category:Nord Department, Haiti